The Canadian Men’s Health Foundation has named this week leading up to Father’s Day, Men’s Health Week and Northern Health has jumped on board.
Northern Health’s Holly Christian says men’s health is an important issue, especially in the North where men are the unhealthiest in the province.
“Our Men’s Health program was started in response to our chief medical health officer’s report where we really found out that men in the North have poorer health and are dying almost five years sooner than women in the North from all causes, including; cancer, heart disease, alcohol, tobacco, injury and suicides.”
Christian says Northern Health is trying to address men’s health through community outreach, facilitating discussion on the topic and men’s health screening at events.
She says Northern Health has also supplied staff with grants to start up programs surrounding improving men’s health in the North.
She says men can participate in the first national Men’s Health Week by starting with small changes such as drinking more water, reducing their salt intake and checking out the Northern Health website at men.northernhealth.ca or the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation website at dontchangemuch.ca